When Coach Kalen DeBoer stepped onto what is now called the Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium sideline as the Alabama Crimson Tide's new head coach, he wasn't just filling the shoes of a legend – he was stepping into history.
Taking over for the iconic Nick Saban, DeBoer led the Tide through a season marked by tough losses, triumphant victories and a defining win over Georgia.
Now, Fox Nation is pulling back the curtain on Alabama football's new era. "The Tides that Bind," a six-part docuseries debuting this week, takes fans behind the scenes of DeBoer's first year at the helm, offering an inside look at the triumphs and trials that shaped perhaps one of the most storied seasons in college football history.
"Anytime you have a platform like this, where Alabama and Fox Nation joined together to put this documentary out for everyone to get the behind-the-scenes look and feel at least a little bit of what it's like here in our program, it's just an awesome opportunity for us," DeBoer told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
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"I think a lot of people really enjoy what they see and what they'll be intrigued by our program and want to hopefully follow even closer down the road."
The former Washington Huskies coach got the call to take over the SEC powerhouse franchise shortly after Saban stunned the sports world by announcing his retirement at the end of the 2023 season.
Following on the heels of a sports legend with an overall 201–29 record seemed to be nothing short of a daunting task to many.
"You really try to simplify it down and not let it be as big as it probably really is when it comes to being here at Alabama and especially as the head coach," DeBoer said.
"You understand the dynamics that are here when it comes to Alabama, but really you try to keep the focus on the players, the staff and just helping everyone be the best they can be and creating an environment to bring out their best."
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Though some things changed with the dawn of the new era, what remains unchanged are the thousands of screaming, houndstooth-wearing, "Dixieland Delight"-singing, Auburn-loathing students and Tide loyals who pour into the stadium year-after-year to root for their favorite team against rivals like the Tennessee Volunteers, the LSU Tigers, the Texas Longhorns and the neighboring Georgia Bulldogs.
The university's marching band, the Million-Dollar Band, only partially drowns out the sounds of a fan base notorious for their passion and high standards.
The Crimson Tide emerged victorious in one of the most highly-anticipated rivalry games of the season after handing the Bulldogs a 41-34 loss in DeBoer's SEC opener.
But triumphs were not without trials.
After three crushing losses, including one to the Vanderbilt Commodores and another to the Tennessee Volunteers in one of college football's most storied rivalries, some of that passion turned to anger, and fans' frustrations turned on staff members and players.
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"We want expectations to stay high. That's why everyone came here. For myself, to our staff, the team, we remind each other of that. We understand that's the reason why everyone wants to be a part of this program, to be a part of the great tradition and history, and our goal is to make it even better for those that follow us," DeBoer said.
"I think for us, for me, it's just trying to really get back to the basics and making it about growth and development, and that starts with the individuals that are here, the players in particular, and really focusing on them… and I think this docuseries shows a little bit of all of that with some behind the scenes that specifically it is football, but I think a lot of it is really cool stories that our players or even those that surround the program and even fans have that people don't know about."
"I think the journey is special, and to have this documentary hit on a lot of the journeys of different people that touch the program is really cool."
The first episode of "The Tides that Bind: Inside Alabama Football" drops today, with five more episodes following.
